The 10 best U.S. colleges and universities for international students

Higher education in the United States continues to be a draw for students from all over the world. International students have been flocking to the U.S. for its wide diversity of education options in ever-increasing numbers. Students can study in the fast-paced Northeast, laid back Midwest, high-tech West or many other diverse subcultures.

There are many benefits for international students to study in the States, including — but not limited to — access to world-class education and expanding their international network. But what colleges and universities are doing the best job supporting international students and providing them with the best quality outcomes? That’s what College Factual wanted to figure out.

1. Columbia University — New York City

Columbia University is a large private university in New York City. Columbia has high ethnic diversity with only 25% of the students coming from New York. The average tuition and fees are $53,000, but students attending Columbia can expect a large earning boost upon graduation. Columbia has students from more than 150 countries and offers them numerous resources for success including student groups, events and an international student advisory board to ensure international students’ needs and concerns are met.

3. Carnegie Mellon University — Pittsburgh

Carnegie Mellon has over 13,000 students hailing from 114 countries. With a focus on diversity and international students, Carnegie hits No. 3 in the top list of colleges for international students. Carnegie Mellon is located in the large city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Average tuition is just over $50,000 for this large private institution.

The 10 best U.S. colleges and universities for international students

4. Cornell University — Ithaca, N.Y.

Cornell University is the second of three universities on this list located in New York. With a highly diverse student population including students from 120 countries, Cornell is very welcoming of international students. Top majors for international students at Cornell include business administration, multi/interdisciplinary studies, and electrical engineering. Cornell students can expect to pay an average tuition of $49,116.

5. University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia

The University of Pennsylvania has students from over 100 countries and offers students a small town feel within the large city of historic Philadelphia. International students attending the University of Pennsylvania can expect yearly tuition of just under $50,000 per year. This university is ranked No. 3 nationally and No. 1 in the state of Pennsylvania offering students a high-quality education.

University of Southern California campus (Photo: Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY)

7. University of California-Berkeley

The University of California-Berkeley is another large public university located in northern California – just minutes from high-tech San Francisco. Berkeley students enjoy the highly diverse population both on and off campus with over 12,00 international students representing 88 countries. As UC Berkeley is only the second public school on our top 10 list, you can expect public school tuition of just over $38,000 per year.

8. New York University

By now you may realize that New York is a great place to meet people of other cultures and backgrounds. The third university from New York – New York University (NYU) is located in the Manhattan borough of New York City – a location about as diverse as it gets. NYU is the most popular college for international students in America, with as many as 10,000 or more students from other countries studying in undergraduate and graduate programs. Tuition runs about $47,750 per year.

9. Harvard University — Cambridge, Mass.

Not only is Harvard University a top college for international students, it is also the No. 2 ranked school in the nation according to College Factual. Harvard is a large private school and thus has tuition to match. Students can expect to spend about $45,000 per year in tuition and fees. However, as a top ranked school, your earning potential will be high. Harvard houses approximately 7,000 to 8,000 international students from over 50 different countries.

10. Duke University — Durham, N.C.

Duke University is a mid-sized private college located in Durham North Carolina, one of the smaller cities hosting one of our top ten colleges for international students. If you are looking for a place that’s a bit quieter than the bustle of New York city or Los Angeles, Durham may meet your needs. Like Harvard before it, Duke is a top ranked school nationally, coming in at No. 4. Tuition runs just over $49,000 per year. The number of international students on campus has grown at a rate of approximately 7% over the last five years.

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